Reason #3 Why Going Home for the Holidays Just Got Better – Midnight Brewery

Many of us can only dream of finding the perfect profession or having the opportunity to pursue our favorite hobby. Yet sometimes, as was the case for Midnight Brewery, the pursuit of perfection leads you down an entirely different road. All the tell-tale signs that Trae Cairns was destined to be more than just an avid homebrewer were there – from staying up all hours to brew even after putting in a full day’s work to the growing demand among his friends for his homebrews.

“When I was just a homebrewer, my wife used to tease me, saying you care about those beers more than you do us – and I would say, just when they’re fermenting,” Trae recalled. “But you have to have that passion, and if you don’t, you’re just a mass producer of beer.”

When it finally became clear that balancing family life, full-time work, and nightly brewing was taking its toll, Trae took a leap of faith and traded six years of homebrewing for a brewery of his own. With a nod toward his previous night labors, he appropriately picked the name Midnight Brewery. Since opening last May, Trae has devoted himself full-time to the brewery, which is entirely self-funded and staffed by a committed group of volunteers and Trae’s hard-working, retired parents.

, Reason #3 Why Going Home for the Holidays Just Got Better – Midnight BreweryIt certainly wasn’t difficult to convince me to check out the brewery’s quaint location in Goochland County – craft beer only a short drive from Short Pump, one of the fastest-growing and happening shopping areas in Richmond? Sold! Location aside, the quality of the brews coming out of this one-man operation are astounding – as my sister Tiffany said when tasting them, rarely can she go to a brewery and like every single beer on tap.

The brewery has established a few core offerings that already have a regular following. Trae’s first brew, appropriately named New Beginning, is a crisp Kolsch-style ale intended to appeal to those looking for an easy-drinking, sessionable brew. An Irish Red ale, named Rockville Red after the area, has become their flagship and it’s easy to see why – it’s malty, flavorful, and approachable. Best name goes to his Not My Job English Southern Brown Ale, named after a comment from a former co-worker that Trae vowed he would never let forget. Rounding out the core rotation is his Midnight Granite Oatmeal Stout, a roasted, full-bodied brew that a volunteer helped him perfect. In addition to filling growlers in the tasting room, fans can find several of Trae’s brews on-tap at local restaurants, such as Sedona Taphouse.

One of Trae’s most memorable brews was a limited-release collaboration called Banana Pancakes that he produced with Hardywood Brewery in early 2012. The dark wheat beer was fermented at room temperature to bring out the banana notes, and sweetened with the addition of Virginia maple syrup. That’s a breakfast beer if I’ve ever heard of one – and apparently it was so good that people are still asking for it. Check out the video made about the collaboration.

Although the brewery hasn’t even hit its one-year mark, the fact that the demand for Trae’s beer continuously exceeds its supply might be giving him a few more sleepless nights. But for Trae, producing small-scale, high-quality brews are his top priority, and that commitment can be tasted in the flavor and complexity of every brew poured. But he knows the market is ready for more. And, with his three-barrel system churning out beer as fast as he can get the supplies, Trae’s got his sights set on an upcoming brewery expansion and new equipment.

“It’s just exploded – we’ve been increasing every month,” Trae said. “We’re looking to expand in 2013 in a big way.”

And that’s great news for fans eager to try more of his unique brews, such as Christmas at Midnight, a 7% ABV English mild spiced ale brewed with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and vanilla beans that my family agreed tasted like a fantastic snickerdoodle. Only intended to be brewed once, the second time the ale appeared in the tasting room, one keg sold out in 35 minutes.

“It’s not a glamorous job by any means, but it’s rewarding when you get to taste the fruits of your own labor,” Trae said. “You can pick the brewers who care about their beers and the ones who are just pushing it through. I think that’s what’s so great about the craft beer world – you see the passion in the people that care.”

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